Editor's Note -- We have to wonder:
Did Daryl Roberts write The Book of Stupid or the Book of Lies?
Do members of this committee have to have their spines removed as a requirement of membership? [Notable exception -- Chris Caruso, who took abuse for standing up for the Constitution.]
What's up with Andrea Stillman? When did she become a shill for a police state, trying to shut off legitimate lines of inquiry?
Finally, did Ruth Fahrbach study under Roberts at the police academy?
by Christine Stuart
www.ctnewsjunkie.com
Hartford Police Chief Daryl Roberts defended the department’s decision to arrest a reporter and political activist who was taking pictures of Gov. M. Jodi Rell as she marched in the inaugural parade.
Roberts repeatedly said Ken Krayeske’s “actions dictated the circumstances of his arrest.” During the arrest on charges of breach of peace and interfering with an officer, Krayeske was “uncooperative” and “evasive,” Roberts said.
Why was he held on a $75,000 bond? State Rep. Stephen Dargon asked.
Roberts said the reason his bond was set at that price “was based on his actions and the totality of the circumstances.” He said Krayeske approached the governor in an aggressive manner then he “would not disclose his intentions.”
Click here to see first story about the arrest that includes the police report:
Krayeske was there to take pictures of Rell for his Internet blog:
State Rep. Christopher Caruso, D-Bridgeport, asked if Krayeske had a camera with him? “He may have had a camera in his bag,” Roberts said.
Many other people along the parade route may have taken pictures of the governor too, but they weren’t arrested, Caruso reasoned. Roberts said that’s because “they did not breach the parade route.” Of course, that’s untrue according to Hartford Courant reporter Mark Pazniokas, who walked the parade route with Rell, saw a woman leave the sidewalk and quickly walk toward Rell during the inaugural parade. “The woman shook Rell's hand and melted into the crowd,” he wrote.
What made Krayeske stand out? Possibly the two-page print out distributed to police that described Krayeske as a “possible threat” to the governor.
Public Safety Commissioner Leonard Boyle said before any event like the inaugural parade the state police intelligence unit will review criminal intelligence in consultation with the Connecticut Intelligence Center to determine if there’s anyone poses a threat to those involved in the event or anyone who may be “disruptive to the event itself.”
State Rep. Jim Shapiro, D-Stamford, said the code of federal regulations says the police can only share intelligence if it pertains to criminal conduct or activity. What criminal conduct did Krayeske engage in prior to his recent arrest? He was arrested for civil disobedience which is a criminal offense, Boyle said.
Krayeske’s name did not come from the Connecticut Intelligence Center, a collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement that’s run by the F.B.I. The state police detective in charge of gathering intelligence found two blog entries by Krayeske that encouraged people to protest the inaugural ball the Friday before the parade, Boyle said. When Krayeske’s name was run through the state police database they found a previous arrest for civil disobedience, a class C misdemeanor. But red flags didn’t go off until the state police briefing was given to the governor’s security detail at noon the day of the parade.
It was when someone on Rell’s security team recognized Krayeske, who had previously heckled Rell during the campaign to get her to include the Green Party candidate in the televised debates, did his name raise eyebrows. Boyle said Krayeske’s photo “caused a bit of alarm,” amongst a member of Rell’s security detail.
Caruso said he thinks the police “overreacted” and “now they’re digging their heels in.” There was nothing in Krayeske’s criminal background that would lead police to respond the way they did, Caruso said. He said the whole thing was prompted by the two-page flyer listing Krayeske’s political protests and affiliations.
Boyle said the state police flyer did not instruct the Hartford police to “arrest. detain, or frisk” Krayeske. He said it simply told them to “call the command post if this person shows up.”
At least two members of the Public Safety Committee disagreed. They applauded police for their efforts. “One never knows if someone is going to cause bodily harm to an individual until after the fact,” state Rep. Ruth Fahrbach, R-Windsor, said.
Roberts said the arrest is an example of how well law enforcement works when they share intelligence.
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